


Hand Games for Adults

by Yikesu



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Criminals, Aristocrat AU, As we go it will get darker and more bloody, Connor & Upgraded Connor | RK900 are Siblings, Dark Humor, Gang activity, M/M, Mafia AU, Money is power, Organized Crime, President Warren is the Mayor, RK900 is called Richard, Simon x Markus starts in chapter 5, They are all weathy, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character, but they don't have same last name for plot reasons, eat the rich, it's like a parent trap kinda reason, read chapter tags, reverse au, she is the only human that stays human, swap au, the title actually means something
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-07-28 07:35:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16237085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yikesu/pseuds/Yikesu
Summary: Cops are pigs, Detriot is just a slum spray painted gold, and RA9 is suffocating under the weight of the world. What is RA9 you ask, no it's really a question of who is RA9, and who they are is something you'll never find out. Or at least that's how it was supposed to be...~ In which Richard is a hitman, Connor is a negotiator, Hank keeps the two alive, Gavin gets the biggest betrayal of his life, and Markus is just trying to thrive~Alt. Title: Be Gay Do Crime





	1. Chapter one: What do I do? God, like i'd ever tell you.

**Author's Note:**

> Chpt tags: light blood mention, needles the killing of police officers, and homicide. 
> 
> I CAN'T BELIEVE IT, I ACTUALLY HAVE AN OUTLINE/ PLAN FOR A MULTI-CHAPTER FIC! AHHHH
> 
> Reminder: this is a switch au so all humans are androids and vice-versa(except for Mayor Warren)

The smoke from the cigarette delicately flowed upward and with fascination Richard watched it dance through the night sky. He was killing time, didn’t need to be any place for another hour or so.

 

Leaned ever so slightly on the balcony of his victim's house he peered down at the city streets below. The roads were far away from him, he was nearly sixty-four floors up, but yet he could still hear the noise of cars and people alike making their way through the crowds.

 

Detroit had boomed in the past fifteen years, ever since androids made their debut in the middle of a once dead zone. Now the place had been restored to its original state of prosperity and riches. In the back of his mind he wondered when it would all come crashing down again. The city had been on the brink bankruptcy when he was born and then when he was Nine they finally declared it. Not a single Michigan native thought the day would come when this metropolis wan’t the slums anymore. But then an associate of his came to light, Chloe was her name.

 

Chloe Kamski was a savior to the state when she introduce the machines. Not everyone saw it that way though, some saw her as a heathen, others as someone trying to wipe out the human race. Truth is she’s none of those things but all of them too. She’s complex, just like how Richard like his tight circle of companions to be.

 

She revolutionized the labor force in America and then the rest of the world making Detroit the hub of activity, now as the second largest city in America it thrived beyond belief.

 

A click sounds from the entrance of the apartment and it’s so faint he almost doesn’t hear it. But he thankfully does a drops his cigarette off the ledge. In his pocket is an encased syringe filled a reasonably tall with a drug that will keep its name remain unmentioned. He goes through the glass door silently and into the kitchen where his target is taking of her shoes.

 

Tatiana “Tilly” Ringstad, age twenty-eight. Occupation: Primarily a sugar baby but still works weekends at the Eden Club. She wasn’t very special or pretty, or anything out of the ordinary. She just integrated with people who had those attributes which were ultimately why she had a hit on her.

 

In a way, Richard felt a pang of sympathy for her. She was just a girl who got caught up in things she couldn’t handle. She was always chasing after something so it seemed, clearly one told her that the more you seek the less you’ll find.

 

He stands in front of her now as she fidgets with the unclasping of her belted heels. She is so engrossed in try to remove the impractical things that she doesn’t even feel the prick of her neck until it was too late. In a rush, she straightens herself to see Richard at her level, his eyes icy blue and mouth in a cruel smile.

 

If she weren't so shocked maybe she’d have screamed for help but she does nothing of the sort and gapes open mouthed as her body shuts down on herself. Collapsing to the floor she watches in horror as he successfully removed her shoes and places them on the rack.

 

Her vision, now fading, sees him pick her up. He’s gentle, careful not to cause her more discomfort and lays her onto her couch. Tatiana’s last image before her eyes close is that smile but it’s morphed into something sadder, perhaps even remorse. Of course, she never does get the chance to find out.

 

~~~

 

As if he hadn’t a care in the world judging by his face, Connor is running down the alleyway with a bloodied pocket knife shoved rather deeply into his ribcage. He skips and stumbles every few steps as he's a little lightheaded but otherwise he'd say the night was going great. The adrenaline has stopped the world from spiraling into an unmentionable pain but hell if he didn’t wish his DNA wasn’t being splattered all over. It couldn't be traced back to him, he'd never been in the system and never planned on it but still, this wasn't a habit he'd like to make.

 

It was simple, a red-ice deal gone wrong. A police ambush. More careful planning could have avoided the whole fiasco but what was he to do? He was only human after all, mistakes get made and then people pay.

 

He knew he should've taken Hank with him to better the chance of avoiding injury but his stubbornness had gotten in the way. Connor wasn’t worried though, the entire team of police officers was no doubt incapacitated now, what with them being dead and all. He made sure of that.

 

He wasn’t a murder, it wasn’t his job. He left that gruesome kind of stuff to his brother. He was a negotiator, a friendly peacemaker. However, when you shoot down his men he gets a little mad. No scratch that. When you shoot holes through a promising young protege like Lucille is-- or had been-- then he gets pissed and you get slaughtered. The guilt he felt was unbearable, he hadn't even seen where she'd gone off to die after barley scrambling away from the fire.

 

Connor was nimble though, he'd been in this game too long and was too good to let guns be his demise. It was pathetic that the only time one of those pigs managed to hit him was with a Swiss knife from their car. Cops were too trigger happy but didn’t know how the hell to shoot. They were taught shoot now talk later but the worst part was they weren't even though aim! Damn stormtroopers...

 

Though there’s only so much you can expect from the DPD and efficiency ain’t one of ‘em.

 

Skirting around a corner he slams into a metal door. Perfect, just what he was looking for. Knocking on it once then twice then five times to the tune of ‘my fair lady’ he waits for someone to open up.

 

One of the blonde triplets he's ever so fond of opens up, Ralph, and stares at the impalement with disgust. “Ralph doesn't want blood in the kitchen,” He informs. 

 

Connor has made his way to the back of _On the Run_ a large upscale restaurant with a secret function. On the main level is the kitchen, it’s large and uninviting the way every chef there doesn’t speak instead opting to create the dishes that make the place famous. Ralph is the official Head Chef, he hasn't cooked since landing the gig but it doesn't really matter because his job isn't to prep food, it's to judge it. He keeps this place's meals pristine in both flavor and presentation. Before a dish is sent out he must approve it. It holds a huge kitchen, more than two hundred people work in it during a twenty-four-hour schedule. Funnily enough not all those who work there are in the food industry, many are apart of the organized crime that runs through the place and they just help out. Sure, they’re thugs but their still good people.

 

“I’m sorry," He tries to keep up his cheery facade, "but help me please,” Connor begs as he points to the knife dig in his side.

 

Wordlessly he’s brought in by Ralph’s guiding hand and shuffled through the kitchen to the front room. The one great thing about this place is that because no one speaks, no one questions why on a daily basis wounded humans and androids alike are pulled throughout. It was comforting to know that people knew how to shut up and stay in their lanes.

 

Forcefully a door is swung open and sitting in the dark of a cleared out medical room is Kara. She looks as if she's ready to pack up for the night with her bag slung on her shoulder. Her face falls when she sees Connor. Making eye contact with Ralph she asks him what happened but he just shrugs and leaves.

 

“Oh Jesus, what did you do?”

 

“Bad deal.” He has no wish to go into the specifics.

 

A scoff comes from her lips, “Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

 

“I don’t want to talk about it,” he grunts.

 

Throwing her bag down on the floor she opens a cabinet. “Fine, I’ll treat you without asking. But just know I’m not supposed to be on duty right now, It’s almost four in the morning I need to catch my flight home.” She finds what she’s looking for, antiseptic and gauze, and gives him a wink.

 

“If you’re trying to guilt me into leaving I’ll tell you right now it won’t work. I’ve already been through hell today and a little momma rage won’t scare me off.”

 

Kara snorts and motions for him to lay down on the floor. He does after lifting his shirt to reveal the stabbed area.

 

“Promise you’ll be a big boy this time and not scream?” She knows he’ll scream as soon as the blades removed. He is a big baby and everyone within a mile radius knows it-- or will know it soon enough.

 

“I promise,” he says like a liar. 

 

The yell can be heard all the way on the first dining floor. Ralph returns at the beginning of the screech, annoyed and furious, and makes an 'off with your head gesture.' He doesn't like loud noises and certainly doesn't enjoy them interrupting his nice evening of work. This restaurant is pride and joy, no one will ever ruin it for him. Waitstaff, already use to this sort of thing, assures patrons that the noise is a pair of toddlers and not anything to be alarmed about. It does ruin the atmosphere for the establishment though and the ratings that night are less than stellar.  

 


	2. Chapter two: It started out with a kiss how did it end up like this?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing of note happens...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter tags: Richard asks an important question 'is it cheating if it's for my job?' / OOF that is gonna stain / Connor is a dumbass....

Connor is under house arrest and he hates it. His ego is already bruised enough but to have his own partner tell him that he’s forbidden from doing anything related to the business is so damn hurtful.

 

“You’re reckless,” Hank’s voice breaks when he sees Connor come home at five in the morning limp as a dummy. The man is practically being dragged by their mutual friend Kara. “Fucking hell you’re reckless and brash and dumb and a fucking idiot!” He says as he takes him from her grip. She bids them a good night.

 

Mumbling Connor says, “Tell me something I don’t know.”

 

Hank is an android meant for taking care of the elderly. He is supposed to be a gentle but crude soul that understood how hard it was to be human. He is supposed to stay level-headed, that's how he was programmed. But at that moment he wants nothing more than to strangle his human with the force of a thousand suns.

 

“I was so damn worried about you. You have no idea how damn worried I was, fuck!”

 

“I think I might have a sliver of an idea.” Now laying on the couch he can feel the hole in his ribs pulsate with his heartbeat. 

 

“Don't be bratty you son of a bitch.” Hank stalks off into the kitchen to prepare a meal for his human. The bot knows Connor hasn't eaten anything substantial in the last few days and aims to fix that.

 

He sets a pot to simmer as he preps the roast beef he's purchased earlier to make a type of stew that he knows he's fond of. The injury isn't that bad, very minor in the grand scheme of things but that doesn't relax Hank’s jumpy circuits.

 

He feels personally responsible for the attack. He should've been there, should've helped Connor out. But there is no point in beating himself up over the past, the best thing he can do now is try and move forward.

 

The night passes slowly as Hank does his finest to keep Connor in the lap of luxury. He ’s waiting for the human to let his guard down that way he can say the question he’s been dying to ask. He isn’t meek but he is wary of invasive questions like the one on the tip of his tongue and he knows that for all the personal questions Connor asks it’s not the same when he does it. It might be because he's a robot or maybe it's just not his nature.

 

After the broth is finished Hank pulls himself up on a stool next to the couch and spoons Connor his now early breakfast. They don't spend much time at home together, work is always a priority. 

 

Through a mouthful of food, Connor says, “Spit it out will you.” He melts into the stew. It's a simple beef blend but it's still good considering he hasn't had a hot meal in forever.

 

“What?”

 

“You look like you’re going to implode if you don’t say whatever you’re going to say so go on with it.”

 

“Well, it’s nothing really kid. Honest.”

 

“Your lying and I know because you’re awful at it.” Which is true as the android is a woefully inconsistent lair at best and a careless one at worst.

 

Hank makes a face, “It really isn’t that big of a deal.”

 

“Then why not say it?” Another spoonful of the stew.

 

“I just...”

 

“Well?”

 

“Who's going to replace Lucille?”

 

The air thins around them and Connor chokes. “Shi-shit I uh,” He doesn’t know yet. He doesn’t even think Markus knows that Lucy is dead. He didn’t alert anyone and though he suspects Kara knows she isn’t one to gossip. Besides she’s not full time, she only manages a few assets in the Toronto area with her husband, Luther, to keep their kid Alice in some fancy school for gifted children. She has an excellent habit of keeping to herself as ignorance is bliss in this life.

 

“Hank, I didn’t tell anyone.”

 

“What do you mean you didn’t--”

 

“I mean I didn’t tell anyone that she’s dead.”

 

“What happened to her body?”

 

“Shit.” He didn’t have an answer again.

 

“Con,” his face falls into the depths of fear, “where is her body?”

 

“I don't...I don't know.“

 

“Con?” Panic. There is undoubtedly panic between them now. “Did you confirm she’s dead? Is she dead?”

 

“I mean I saw her-- she couldn’t be…”

 

“Damnit Connor,” the android curses and his LED turns solid red. This was stupidly bad. If Lucy’s body wasn’t with Connor than did that mean it was laying out on the street or, even worse, could Lucille still be alive and in police custody? That last part seemed highly unlikely but it had only been twelve hours. Their people have survived worse for longer.

 

“Call Chloe,” Conner groans into his hands.

 

Immediately alerting the head seemed risky to the machine. No matter how much she liked the family this was a major slip up. “Shouldn’t we--”

 

“No,” Connor finalizes with a strong infliction. “No, no we need to call her.”

 

~~~

 

A man sits on a bench, well dressed, a sharp grey suit and salmon dawned upon him as he scrolls through his phone. He’s waiting for the notification to confirm his payment on two nights ago hit.

 

Richard Reed is his name. He doesn’t emote much, not out of a lack of emotion though because he has lots of those but because he just doesn’t have the time. A lot of things happen to him in a work day all ranging from making coffee for an android who remodeled his entire wiring for the sole purpose of drinking the bitter beverage to killing people in some gruesome ass ways.

 

He doesn’t take joy in his work but he certainly takes pride in it. If you’re going to break the law you might as well do it right or else your just a slob with no clear motive. Richard always had a motive for the illicit activities. Really he had three.

 

  1. Capitalism was a bitch and he had bills to pay
  2. His loved ones were in this life and a hell of a lot safer if he was in it too.
  3. He only committed atrocities to people who deserved it. Revenge, vendetta, whatever.



 

He is a straightforward man without much ado. He pays his rent on time, he owns a cat, and he’s even married. Well no he isn’t married in the literal sense but in the state of mind.

 

An android who had stolen his heart sat at home most days and did the basic household chores. His name was Gavin and he’s the love of Richards cruelly short life. Androids were legally people but they lacked basic human rights as they weren't technically human. It was all very complicated and the technicalities would have your head spinning. They were deemed just something in the middle of the binary.

 

Gavin wasn’t owned by anyone, he was defective and left on the streets. Broken and ruined Richard found the machine on the side of the road in the middle of rural Michigan while on a job about three years ago. He sorta just kidnapped the android. Didn’t ask him if he wanted to come back to his home in Detroit he simply took him after seeing what sorry shape he was in.

 

Gavin was a custom ST model, someone with an influx of wealth must have purchased him through  Richard never did learn what happened to his owner, never asked either figuring it wasn’t his place. They lived together as equals. Gavin never asked where the money came from for their apartment, he never asked where the clothes or repair money came from either. Richard thinks he might’ve told him that he works as an accountant but he can’t quite remember. Oh, that could be dangerous to not recall your lies correctly.

 

The chime goes off and he sees the deposit of fifteen thousand dollars hit his bank account. It’s not all the money at one time though-- no it’s an increment of only five hundred. Every week for the next thirty weeks he’d receive a payment of five hundred to keep suspicion down.

 

With a satisfied huff, he shoves his phone into his pocket and begins his walk home. He’s not even halfway home before he gets another alert. New job up for grabs and he can easily finish it tonight. Eh, a little money never hurt anybody. He accepts it negating a second thought.

 

~~~

 

This job wasn’t going well, it was a pain in the ass. So much for an easy night, that’s what he got for being greedy. Uhg, his mark was annoying and needy and so very interested in getting in his pants. It wasn’t like that was an issue per say but he wasn’t really feeling having sex right now. But whatever the lady wanted she would get, after all, he’d be her last meal on death row.

 

~~~

Gavin is home, finally, after what felt like years of filling paperwork and redirecting civilians. As the steps home, he notes a pair of shoes that he doesn't remember purchasing near the front door. They are Gucci women's size tens despite no woman inhabiting the house. Odd. There begins to be an unsteady, tight feeling in his chest as he closes the front door and heads straight to his bedroom not bothering to greet his cat that meows as he passes.

The shock ripple through the android and without much knowledge on betrayal he feels his knees buckle under the weight of his crushing new emotion. He doesn't know what he was expecting but it wasn't this, not infidelity right before his very eyes. To see Richard, the only man he’d ever loved, scramble around their shared bedroom with an immeasurable amount of penance in his eyes as a complete stranger followed suit cursing underneath heavy breaths gave him a funny feeling in his thirium pump.

 

The entirety of his body felt as if it was overheating as multiple warning signs came and went through his line of sight. The only thing that was constant was the raw emotion that has awoken in the pit of his stomach.

 

Time passed in slow motion as he watched calm himself down from his initial panic. “What's going on..." Gavin starts but can't find it in himself to finish. He has eyes, he knows what's going on.

 

Richard’s...guest cuts him off. She's a gorgeous redhead with a thick Newfoundland accent. “You didn't tell me you were already involved.” She looks horrified to have just possible ruined a relationship.

 

Richard stumbles over his words, “I did-- I mean--"

 

“What the fuck!” Gavin isn't the most expressive android and he lets his emotions get in the way of what he really means to say most times but at this particular moment that’s exactly what he wanted to say.

 

“Gav I can explain.” Richard doesn't have time to explain though. He wasn't supposed to have even brought his target home but the safe house had been compromised and the night still dwindled on. He needs to bring her somewhere and the only place he could trust to execute his mission was his home.

 

He was so focused on the completion of his task he hadn't thought of how this would have interfered with his life with Gavin.

 

In a split second, Richard made a decision that would alter his life indefinitely. The noise of glass onto a skull was heard before the action registers his brain.

 

She doesn't even have time to shriek because as soon as she hits the floor she's dead. Blood blue as the ocean is deep seeps from her head. Android. She was an android. That wasn't in the report. He thought he’d been dealing with a human, now he’d have to dismember her before she could reactivate or alert the police.

 

Shit.

 

Sparks flew and rightfully so from where she’d been bashed. The noise that emits from her wasn’t human and it wasn’t android, it was...something else entirely. It was appalling the way it bounces off his apartment walls and into his ears.

 

“Shit…” Gavin whispers with terror in his eyes. “Rich, what have you done?”

 

“I didn't do anyth-- I did my best.” Richard stumbles backward with the murder weapon in hand. It's an alarm clock, retro and basic red with blue now splatterd over it. The time read ten thirty-two, Richard hadn’t even known it was that late...he just came home and went to work. “I did my best,” he repeats as his mind floats into the next course of action. He needs to call Chloe.

 

She’ll fix this, she has to be able to fix this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....hmmmm ur probs thinking: "why did richard take her home? doesn't he have places for that?" and the answer is READ THE NEXT CHAPTER
> 
> also richard is gonna be an ass for the next fee chapters due 2 stress oof


	3. Chapter three: Explain, deny, confide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We see chloe my loveeee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chpt tag: lavender / rich being an ass / not talking abt the huge ass elephant in the room

Gavin tries to call 911 without his boyfriend noticing  but knows he has failed when he’s tackled to the ground. He's so damn scared beyond belief that he doesn’t fight back. Realistically he could take Richard, as he was physically superior even if it didn’t look that way, but the shock of whatever just happened is so overwhelming that he lets himself be taken down.

 

“Gavin,” the man overtop of him hisses, “What are you doing?”

 

The android can’t reply. He can’t recall a time when he was ever frightened by his lover but he supposes there is a first time for everything. He doesn’t want this to be his last memory of Richard though. He doesn’t want to die after walking in on a crime of passion. He doesn’t really want to die but if he has to go it can’t be like this.

 

“G-get off,” he stutters. “Please Rich, get off…” he feels so weak like his batteries been drained. He hates it.

 

“What were you going to do?” Richard demands.

 

“I don’t know,” he lies. “I don’t know.”

 

“Gavin,” he prods, “You can’t call the police. I repeat you can not call the police, they will not help you if they know that you live with me.” that might be a lie or it might be a truth, he doesn’t know how much the police know about him as he doesn’t put it in his routine to conversate with them. “They will jail you as well. We are not calling the police.”

 

“Tina’s apart of the police force, she’ll help, she’ll--” Tina was Gavin’s closest thing to a friend in this city. They’d met a few months ago while she was patrolling the area and they had hit it off instantaneously. On weekdays a half past ten he goes in to her precinct and acts as a secretary for the sake of his sanity. There's only so many days you can spend at home with an asshole cate before you lose it completely and the pay is always nice though it’s not much.

 

“--she won’t help you. If i’m in the system then so is half of Detroit and she’ll be so busy trying to bust them she’ll forget about you.”

 

The android's eyes are narrowed skepticism. “You don’t know that.

 

“You don’t know me and what kind of power I hold.” He barks then squeezing his eyes shut hoping that this will all go away. This has to be some sort of nightmare.

 

“I guess I don’t,” he trails off looking past the man to see the corpse. “Are you going to kill me?” he speaks with his voice barely above a whisper.

 

That comment makes Richard’s hands fly off of Gavin and scramble backward in nihilism. “I’ve never hurt him before, have I’ he thought. ‘Why would he think that?’ And then his right hand is soaked in something sticky and vaguely smelling of copper. Right, he’s a murder and Gavin now knows. ‘Of course he’d think I’d kill him. That's fair.’

 

“I’m not going to kill you.” He finally responds after what has been too pregnant of a pause.

 

A horse, static laugh comes from Gavin. “You almost sounded sure.”

 

“I’m serious Gav, I love you,” He tries to move forward and close the gap between them but the machine inches backwards.

 

For a fraction of a moment Gavin’s face softens but then it regains its composure.“Don’t...please don’t come closer...”

 

Respecting his wishes Richard stays where he is. “Can you call someone for me,” he asks with uncertainty if Gavin will even respond.

 

“Who?” The LED he wears lights up at the stimulation.

 

“Not the police, please God no, not them. Chloe.”

 

“What?”

 

“Chloe Kamski. Cyberlife founder. My friend-- you’ve met her before--”

 

“I know who she is but why call her.”

 

“I didn’t ask you to question my judgment I asked you too--”

 

“You killed someone! I think I can question your judgment you cheating, lying, psychotic sack of shit!”

 

“Gavin,” he screams to match the others tone.

 

“What?!”

 

“Please just-- just call her. God, I need you to do this for me please.”

 

“You are crazy,” he seethes.

 

“Please, please, please Gav I’m so sorry,” he rambles mindlessly. “Call her please, if you don’t do anything for me ever again just do this one thing.”

 

He never thought this is how he’d find out. He always figured they’d be on some sort of desert island forty years from now and Richard would tell him nonchalantly as they sipped sungras watching the sun set. It would be like making peace not like this, not like making war.

 

To his surprise Gavin actually does make the call. Only she doesn’t answer and he’s forced to leave a message while the hysteria marinates in his thoughts.

~~~

  


Elijah is a gorgeous man made of titanium, plastic, and the ever changing tides of scientific discovery. Elijah is forever young, forever in optimal health, forever perfect. Elijah is Ms. Kamski’s greatest creation, no doubt about it. Elijah has distressing news for Ms. Kamski though and though he was designed not to feel he does, and he feels anxious.

 

Chloe is drinking a tonic water, her personal favorite medication as she tans herself by her outdoor pool when he walks in with his signature sleazy smirk. Back when he was just a machine that was his neutral face, much to the chagrin of all Cyberlife stock owners and investors, however now it’s his nervous face.

 

“What,” she orders.

 

“I’m sorry to bother you but you have two issues Chlo, ” he soothingly tells her. He’s attempting to keep her calm and she knows it which only makes her more wary.

 

“What are they?”

 

“A missing person and a butchered job.”

 

Her eyebrows arch, “Oh? Who fucked up?”

 

He swallows unnecessarily so, “Eights and Nines.”

 

“Anderson and Reed,”she translates for herself, “the twins?” That doesn’t seem right, their never off. “How long has Connor been gone?”

 

“He is not missing, no Lucille his favorite new comer is missing, or dead…” Elijah falters at the end as he doesn’t truly know. “Hank was ambiguous on the details, I am afraid.”

 

She takes a long sip thoughtfully. “Richard doesn’t kill messily, what happened there?”

 

“Gavin.”

 

“His toy,” she scoffs undignified. What would he have to do with anything? “Is he dead or something?”

 

“No, no Gavin is alive and well however he wasn’t aware of what Nines did for a living.”

 

She knows she shouldn’t laugh as this is anything but funny however it bubbles up in the back of her throat and leaves before she can stifle it. “How could he not know? The man smells of bourbon and death for crying out loud”

 

“Most actually say he smells of freshly picked lavender.”

 

“If you smell that that means you are his next hit you’ll die soon.”

 

Yes,” he agrees, “I suppose you’re right then. He does smell like that often so his scent is one of death in an abstract sort of way.”

 

“Darling I’m always right.”

 

He doesn’t humor her with the continuation of her ego boost. “What do you want to do about this?”

 

“Which problem should I solve first?” She ponders aloud to herself. “Hm,” she hums, “I feel as if the bloody mess is easier to wash my hands clean from. Call North up for me and tell her to meet those two at the Jericho museum.”

 

Elijah, after getting over the slang term for the building, nods then speaks, “Both Gavin and Richard Reed?” He needs to make sure Gavin is to continue being in the loop of the business's operations.

 

“Yes that's what I said no? He’s a part of this whether he likes it or not.”

 

“Alright. All three of them now know that they have a meeting together at the Museum of Artificial Life. I have set the date for tomorrow morning at seven, is that alright?”

 

“Mhm,” she finishes her drink, “That’s perfect dear.” She doesn’t say a word after that and he knows that she’s done all the leadership she’s willing to do for the day. The issue pertaining to Eights was going to just have to wait another time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will they talk abt the cheating aspect? Yeah. Next chapter when North waltzes in and fucks shit up(fixes shit to her best ability which is like -5% fixture)


	4. Chapter four: Artform

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We meet Sumo, North, Josh, and a glimpse at Markus and Simon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it is gonna bite markus and connor in the butt for not codding their stuff...
> 
> Chapter tags: Markus is a hoe/ small mention of sexual deception when discussing North/ Josh is a calm bitch

Begrudgingly Connor finally has fallen asleep per the suggestion of Hank. He had sworn he wasn’t tired but the bags under his eyes sung another song. Obviously, it had been a lullaby because he was out like a light. He awakens to find his house empty and his head pounding. If he drank he thinks now would be the perfect time to get drunk, fortunately, he hasn’t the stomach for alcohol and won't start pushing his limits now. It’s somewhere close to five in the morning according to his phone that lights up abruptly like it has something to tell him.

He has a notification from Richard encrypted in their usual text type for work. It was utterly ridiculous how they spoke to one another.

{ **Nines** } Tried to make a garden salad, tossed in the bad batch of eggs.

Huh, Connor couldn’t remember the last time he’d botched a job. That was unfortunate.

{ **Eights** } did you go back to the supermarket to inform the management?

{ **Nines** } No refund. Managed to make a decent complete meal. Kitchen is messy now though.

{ **Eights** } need help cleaning?

{ **Nines** } Nah, I’ve got the northern star to guide me.

They tended to mix up allusions and symbols just in case. They’d never been in a situation where someone had confiscated their phones but if law enforcement did than they want a fighting chance.

{ **Nines** } The husband knows about it though.

That was news to Connor. If he recalled correctly Gavin thought Richard was an account for Cyberlife or something of the sort.

{ **Eights** } How did he take the mess?

{ **Nines** } Hm well you know how husbands are…

So he hadn’t taken it well, that’s fair. But also scary. Was that confirmation that Gavin was out of the picture of Richard’s life or was he in this life too? It wasn’t that he was weak but the android had already gone through so much that that hardly seems appropriate.

{ **Nines** } Well I’ve got to run, talk to you later.

{ **Eights** } Bye brother

{ **Nines** } Goodbye.

After the conversation with his sibling, Connor finds himself once again fluttering through his feed unconsciously looking for something back from Ms. Kamski. He knows Hank called her and told her the situation, he wouldn’t lie about that but still, nothing was in his emails or messages about where to meet for the fixing of the problem.

He did find a text from Markus though. Markus Manfred is a man of grace, perseverance, and unrelinquished spite. He is the bastard son of one of the most famous painters known to modern man, Carl Manfred, but yet is still the heir to all of his father's inheritance and assets upon his deathbed.

Every move Markus has made from the day he learned his father was a man of great wealth was fueled by pettiness and inadequacy. That isn’t to say he doesn’t have admirable traits no, no, no! It’s just that Connor finds the negative much more interesting when examining one’s characters than the positive.

Markus and he were a thing at some point, but so was Markus and everyone else in the whole underbelly of this city. He was a known flirt, a known slut, and a known bitch. He prioritized his goals over everything else and the only way to truly win his heart was to be his goal.

Now the two were more like relatives, not as close as brothers but perhaps cousins? They don’t necessarily get along but they’d kill before one of them got hurt past repair.

It’s clear he only loves two things His father and his ideas.

Yet since what might have been the dawn of his time on earth three people have stood by his side despite his lack of clear affection for them. Maybe Markus was kinder when no one was watching or maybe he was the same, it didn’t matter much. What matters is that like dogs North, Josh and Simon, one of the blonde triplets that were mentioned sometime before, nipped at his heels.

The message he’d gotten read:

{ **Twos** } Meet me at the main restaurant.

Shit.

{ **Eights** } Excuse me? Is there a reason you want to talk to me?

{ **Twos** } Well I found out Lucille half dead outside my mansion and I think It might have something to do with you.

Oh my God, she’s alive and okay. That's a miracle in and of itself.

{ **Eights** } I didn’t know she was alive...tell her I’m sorry.

{ **Twos** } Yes I will once she wakes up but it’s been nearly sixteen hours. You promised me you’d take care of her.

{ **Eights** } Accidents happen. How many bullets?

{ **Twos** } Three direct hits on the torso, leg, and chest. Two shrapnel hits on the right side of face and leg. None of them should have been critical but it’s been three days so they’ve begun to fester.

{ **Eights** } I’m sorry.

Connor really was. He couldn’t think about this for much longer, it was becoming too overpowering.

{ **Twos** } I’m sure you are. I’ll be expecting you at Six pm sharp.

The conversation ends and neither even notice that they didn’t take the precaution of encrypting their text.

Groaning Connor chucks his phone across the room in frustration at the demand only to feel his stab wound seize up in pain. He mutters a string of incoherent complaints as he rubs his face roughly trying to distract himself from the agony. He doubts his ability to convince Hank to let him go out tonight but if he doesn’t meet with Markus infighting would no doubt arise.

He’s so involved in his own turmoil that he doesn’t hear the bell of his front door go off as Hank enters with a big fluffy dog. A tap on the shoulder jolts him out of his self-pitying and he shoots a confused look at his android. “What is this?”

“This is Sumo. He’s a thirteen-year-old purebred Saint Bernard.”

“I..I don’t think we have time for a dog. I’m always working and you’re always keeping me safe.”

Hank snorts, “Good thing I didn’t ask kid. I found him outside our usual drop off for Red Ice.”

Connor’s eyebrow shot up, “Hank,” he cries, “Drug dog!”

“Nah, nooo this old softy isn’t a drug dog.” He taps his temple, “Android remember. I know who he’s registered to and it’s no one alive.”

“Did you kill his owners?” The human finds himself only half-joking.

“Would you turn me in if I did?”

“Yes.”

“Snitch,” Hank says and crouches down to give the dog a pat on the head. “Didn’t you say you liked dogs Con?”

Of course, he likes dogs, what kind of monster didn’t? “Yes.”

“Well then think of him as a ‘get well soon’ gift.”

Without a beat of hesitation, he breaks into a grin. How is he supposed to say no to that? “Alright then. He’s a gift from you to me.”

“Mhm.”

“Thank you, Hank.”

He shakes his head a tad. “Nah, thank you, kid.”

Connor doesn’t ask what for, he already knows.

  
~~~

North, breathtakingly beautiful North, wants to be a stoic woman, however, she lets her emotions get in the way of everything. Whether they positive or Negative she’ll always find a way to wiggle her feelings into an argument though it’s become somewhat of an advantage now. She’s a manipulator like no other, someone who can easily perceive what others desire and flip it on their heads.

She’s a role model for women who wish to bath in the blood of her enemies. Starting her modeling career at sixteen and only being active for three years she made headlines as the youngest lingerie model internationally recognized. It was disgusting how as a kid she was paraded as an object. No one was looking at the bra and panties she wore, no they were looking at her _in_ the bar and panties. The entire industry made her skin crawl-- and it still does-- but she learned. She learned what it was like to be tricked, to be degraded, to be harmed for others pleasure. She thought she hated the feeling… but then after one of those boring socialite parties, she found a man who taught her she’d just been on the wrong side of the exchange.

~~~

Gavin knows it’s unlike North to be silent, she’s intense and unbearable most times though he thinks he likes that about her. Or liked that about her because right now he’s more creeped out than anything. They have only met a handful of occasions back when she was working as a fashion designer for Cyberlife. She left the company approximately six months ago talking about retirement at age twenty-six. She’s a riot, anyone knows that.

She’s craned her neck up at a larger than life acrylic painting of the first ever Turing test passed AI. The RT600 nicknamed Elijah. He looks like he was born for the stage with his well-defined lips and determined eyes. It’s clear the painter did a lovely job on it. It’s one of Carl’s works. No contest when it technique when compared to other painted artworks on the ground, Carl is just spectacular.

Gavin hasn’t ever met Mr. Manfred, either of them, but he knows the senior is a good friend of Richard’s. If he thinks about it Richard is good friends with a lot of powerful people in the city, it’s a little concerning.

The three have been quiet since meeting at the front of the museum. Not even pleasantries were exchanged as Richard and North fell behind Gavin as if to ensure he didn’t run away. They had begun to treat him like pray, his every move was attentively observed.

This lull in conversation had been going on for quite some time now and the Android had come to the conclusion that neither of the humans would talk at all during their time together. He was mistaken however when North opens her mouth to say, “We should go see the animal exhibit, I hear that the polar bear is rad as hell.”

That isn’t what he expected to hear and it apparently isn’t what Richard thought she would say either. “Don’t we have something to do?”

“Yeah,” she hits her head and makes a ‘doink’ noise, “we gotta go see the polar bears, duh.” Spinning on her heels she turns away from the phenomenal painting and makes a beeline for the stairs. Richard motions for his android to follow her and then he goes.

They make it to the third floor and walk right past the entrance to the animal showcase. It clicks in Richard’s brain how they’re going to do this and he finds himself uneasy at the thought. The past twenty-four hours have already been stressful enough and what's about to come won’t alleviate the crushing emotion.

Gavin tells her that they have just missed their exit but she doesn’t respond and he continues to follow her unknowing of the dangers. North reaches for a staff only door and opens it after it scans her eye. As she’s confirmed she pulls Gavin in with her as well but slams the door on Richard, just as he suspected.

~~~

The room he’s tugged into is long like a hallway but without any doors to go through. It has light but it’s so dim that there might as well not be any. Gavins back is aggressively rubbed against peeling paint that he can feel through his shirt. He had no idea that there was a room this decrepit looking here. “W-wai--”

“Shut it,” she hisses with poison dripping from her tone. North has him pinned against a wall with her face in his and her lips curled back into a scowl. “Gavin I’m going to ask you a series of questions and you better answer them truthfully or your bio components will be ripped out for each lie you spew.”

He lets out a pitiful whimper. “Fucking hell.” If he believed in a God like most other androids he’d start praying to RA9 but he doesn’t and he won't start now.

She benevolently ignores him speaking out of term and fires her first question. “What does Richard Reed do for a living?”

“I-i don’t know. He’s some fancy accountant, right? Fo-for Kamski’s personal finances, I think.”

Rolling her eyes she presses her arm harder against his chest. “Fine, what happened last night?”

“He killed someone.”

“Who,” she prods knowing full well.

“Rich, he uh killed this woman when I came home. They were in bed together.”

“What did you do to make him kill her?”

Gavin screws his eyes shut as his head swirls. It’s not his fault that woman is dead. He’d never even seen her before in his life, North couldn’t pin that on him. “I didn’t do anything!”

“Why is a woman dead then?”

“Because Rich is an insane person,” he says with hushed fear. “He’s insane, I swear I didn’t kill anyone, I’m not apart of this, hell I’m not a part of any of this I swear North please let me go.” He begs to her unmercifully face over and over again. He hopes that this is all some mass hallucination, that none of this is real. That the man he’s in love with didn’t cheat on him without even a thought to how badly it would ruin him. That the man he loves didn’t kill a woman in cold blood.

“He’s not insane. He’s perfectly sane and he is a diligent worker,” she says. “Richard isn’t crazy, he’s a man who has a job to do and you messed up one for him.”

“What do you mean? Does he not work for Chloe?”

“Oh yeah, he works for her, he works for anyone who's willing to pay his bills. But his loyalty lies within the Kamski family.” Loosening her grip on him she lets him slump down to the floor. It’s grimy and he can feel dirt clinging to his pants but he doesn’t stand up, he’s too exhausted.

“So,” he looks up weakly, “has he killed before?”

“Yes, and he’ll do it again…that is if you keep your mouth shut.”

“How long has he been doing this,” he doesn’t know if he really wants an answer.

“ What? Being a criminal in general or a murder specifically.”

He gestures to the surrounding area like that is any indication of what he wants.

“Well, I’d ask him that. S’not my place to say, I don’t think. He takes this all seriously, deadly seriously. It's like an art form to him.”

"Oh."

"It was just business y'know," she says.

"What?"

"That woman was just business. He's always been told to do whatever the mission needs and the mission needed him to sleep with her. It wasn't personal." She gives him a hand and lifts him up. “For a Robot, you sure aren’t that heavy,” she comments.

He doesn't know how to react to the first statement so he ignores it. “We aren’t meant to be heavy, we are meant to be efficient.”

“Jesus, s’was a compliment asshat,” and then she opens the door and light floods the previously murky room. Outside waiting just adjacent to the door is Richard whose eyes are strained hard on them. It seems as if he hadn’t blinked the whole time he was there with his eyes ablaze.

Visibly letting out a sigh he walks over to them and ducks his head down to whisper something into North’s ear. She was wearing a wide grin when she came out and the faster his lips moved over her ear the more the grin fades. Eventually, she has a hollow expression and mumbles out something that sounds suspiciously like an ‘I’m sorry,’ but that can’t be. North doesn’t apologize to anyone, It’s her major flaw really but she never apologizes, always claiming there is no reason.

Aloud and intend for all of them Richard says, “What now? Is he coming to the banquet next week or is that off limits?”

“What banquet?”

North winces at his ignorance as if she’s not the reason for it. “I didn’t tell him.”

The man blinks and licks his lips like he’s ready to devour her.“Excuse me,” the voice used is low and gravely from the back of his throat.

“I didn’t tell him,” She repeats. “I just asked him what he knew, nothing more. I wasn’t given instructions so I did what I knew best.”

Richard growls, “I swear if you hurt him--”

“I didn’t hurt Him I swear!”She’s an impulsive person and it shows when she shoves Richard in an act of defiance.

“Guys,” Gavin says.

He shoves back knocking the wind out of her. “Then what did you do? What did you ask?”

“Guys.”

In the back of her mind, North can hear a rational voice scream at her to defuse the situation but she’s never been good at things like that and now isn’t the day to start. “If you needed to know then you would’ve been in the room,” she spits and raises her fist. It’s clear as day she’s about to throw a punch.

“Guy--” Gavin can’t be heard over the sound of a fist colliding with a jaw. Shit.

In a moment of lucidity, she notes a crowd has gathered to watch. Richard is still upright but tense as his jaw tries to reconfigure itself. Yeah, North is a strong mother fucker but he’s stronger.

Out of thin air-- or so it seems a man with a tight-lipped smile appears and rest a hand on Noth’s shoulder. He Is of dark skin and short hair. “North,” his tone is a warning, “Do you want to calm down?”

His name flashes in Gavin’s mind, Josh, but he can’t place what he does. Almost immediately she relaxins her shoulders but not before giving him a quiet “fuck you.” The group of people gape at the sight, it’s been a long while since North was spotted out in the public and her first story since then was going to be assault. If she cared about what others thought she’d keep the show going but Josh was here and he scared her. Not that she’d admit that out loud though.

With the flick of her wrist, she slaps Josh’s hand away and grunts out that she’s not sorry.

“I didn’t ask if you were sorry,” he informs her. Josh is wearing a golden name tag that reads ‘head curator.’ Ah, so he works here well that explains why he’s in a blazer and dress pants. “Now you three have been causing quite the disturbance in my museum and It’s a real problem. I by no means want to ban you but if you don’t leave shortly my hand will be forced. You understand don’t you?”

“Of course Joshua,” Richard says glancing down at the floor to feign legitimate shame. “I’m so sorry to have disrupted your workplace and I’m sure Gavin feels the same way too.” He grabs Gavin by the hand but the android panics at the touch and pulls back like he has been burned.

For a second the two stares at each other, Gavin clearly scared and Richard’s face hurt.

North coughs in the least subtle way and Josh continues. “Good, good.” He glances around to see that most of the group that had swarmed before had left. “Now,” he lowers his voice so that only they can hear him, “I don’t want mention of this to get out. We can’t have a well known,” notice how he doesn’t say ‘famous’, “fashion designer and financial advisor Richard Reed in a spat--”

“Why does he get his name said? Sexist much?”

“Sexist?” He isn’t amused with her in the slightest. He isn’t sexist he just hates North and he’s petty as fuck. “No, I’m nothing of the sort now shut up as I explain. No one hears about this, I take care of it from the inside, you all take care of it amongst yourselves hm?”

The two humans nod and Gavin just listens

“Oh, and remember my measure is not a place of business during daylight hours. I don’t know what you did-- what either of you did,” he points to Richard and Gavin. “But it does not, and will never again, be handled during the day at this establishment. Understand?”

“Yes.”

Clapping his hands Josh’ changes his mood on the flip of a coin. “Awesome, glad we all have an agreement,” he beams. “You all may be excused and If I see you here again I’ll personally tell Markus.”

North blanches.

“Well bye,” he calls and walks off with the smile never leaving his face.

She takes off behind him with a worried look but not before leaving a slip of white paper in Richard’s hand. He glances down at it, it’s code that tells him that his victims' body has been dumped along the landfill and that he owes her one for taking the woman off his hands. He glances at his android who has a shell-shocked look upon his face and the bulky feeling of guilt lands on him again.

He’s forced Gavin to help him dismantle the body, made him rip up the appendage circuits as he crushed the biocomponents. He made him drain the blood through the victims' feet and watch as the vacuum collected the substance to ensure that it nothing got gunked up. He made Gavin help him gouge out the eyes of the target and then throw them down the garbage disposal in the kitchen. He makes him grind the eyes to dust as the horrible whirling sound goes off. And then he let Gavin stop.

He finally took mercy and let the android stop and take a metaphorical breath but when he breathed in the only thing that came out was a choked sob. Gavin cried, and cried, and cried until he couldn’t cry anymore. Until his low thirium blinker came on. He was exhausted for a being that didn’t need to sleep. When Gavin had freed himself from his depressive state and blinked back into reality the house looked like how it had before this all happened.

The carpet in the bedroom was clean, not a trace of blue blood. The woman was gone and her shoes were too. There was no evidence that she’d ever been here and for a moment Gavin believed that this had all been a bad dream. But then Richard walked in and told him that they were going out and that he hadn’t a choice in the matter.

The worst part was he didn’t even put up a fight he got dressed and ready to go without so much as a word. He just went with it, he always just goes with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments? Questions? Kudos? Keysmashes? please do all three of those below :000


	5. Chapter five: ugly truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chapter tags: talking abt not being in love/ talking abt distrust/ talking, talking, and MORE TALKING
> 
> (3 in story days have passed since the Gavin has found out the truth)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y e s!
> 
> I'm aliveeee i had mono but i'm all good to go now!

Markus sits down at his breakfast table after giving Carl the newest batch of freshly cooked bacon to share with the table. Across from him are his father and Lucille. She’s in bad shape, her face swollen and bandaged up past recognition but she’s alive. Weakly she’s eating porridge but every movement makes her ache in pain. Markus wants to rip Connor Anderson from his house and run him over with his own car but that wouldn’t be appropriate for a man of his stature so he doesn’t. He just bitterly watches his friend suffer.

“How did you say you got hurt again, dear?” Carl asks knowing full well what his son does outside of the art gallery. He’s never been too fond of criminal activity, how came to disown his other son but Markus was different. Maybe it’s because Markus was smarter than Leo had ever been and will ever be...or maybe it’s because Markus wasn’t a bad person. He just made bad decisions.

She mumbles out to the best of her ability the same story she’d told everyone who saw her on the street. “I feel off my motorcycle and wrecked myself.” It takes her a while to form her words but she manages.

He clicks his tongue. “I may be old but not blind and certainly not dumb. Why do you have bullet holes in you if you fell off your bike ma’am?” He had seen her the night before crawl through the back door with her torso bloodied with a bit of flesh carved out.

“Uh,” she intelligently says.

“Carl you don’t need to grill her.”

“I don’t but I want to know who’s coming into the house late at night without authorization.” He takes a bite of his eggs and passes the bacon plate to his son.

Markus frowns, “You don’t have a problem when Simon comes through at all hours of the night, so why Lucy?”

Carl turns to the woman in question and tells her, “You know, most men would be thrilled that their father liked their boyfriend but he doesn’t seem to like it much. Strange boy isn’t he…”

Lucille smiles meekly.

“Dad,” Markus deepens his frown, “not my boyfriend.”

“Ah yes, just a man who would kill for you--”

“--I have plenty of men that would kill for me.”

“But would they die for you? Would they lay down their life for you not because they fear your wrath if you live through a difficult situation but because they want to see you live your best life even if that doesn’t include them?”

He has nothing to say about that, no answer. How are you supposed to answer that? Of course he knows Simon is in love with him, of course, he’s aware that Simon would do anything for him, and of course, he realizes that that is a huge deal. But he doesn’t find himself feeling the same way, at least not to the extreme Simon feels. So they aren’t dating and they aren’t in a relationship and they most definitely are not boyfriends.

“Dad. Stop it. I have a busy day ahead of me and the agenda doesn’t talk about having this conversation. Again. For the five-hundredth time.” Yes, he’s counted.

Carl nods not in defeat but in understanding. He can only push so much before it all falls apart and that can’t happen-- he won't let it happen-- again. “Will your guest be staying here.” It’s not a real question, she needs her rest.

“Yes, no plans for her to leave the house.”

“Excellent.” He addressed her, “Are you any good at chess?”

She shakes her head no.

“Perfect, you’ll learn how to be a Grandmaster by the end of today.”

~~~

Connor has found himself in love with Sumo and he loves the emotion of love! It’s like a new chamber in his heart has been opened the way that mammoth makes his blood rush! He loves, loves, loves Sumo! It’s been only a short amount of time, mere hours, but he can tell that he’ll never get tired of how the saint bernard just sits and slobbers and oh god he’s so cute!

He can't believe he's already found a replacement for when Hank inevitable malfunctions due to all the stupidity surrounded by his work and dies. But now he had Sumo, his big old beautiful boy!

Hank is starring with mirth a few feet away from the public display of affection. For once he's glad he has a photographic memory and makes a mental note to check the recording later when he needs a pick me up.

The peace never lasts long though, God knows it never last. And there's is a sharp rap at the door that causes Connor to snap out of his haze.

Getting up he grabs the closest glock to him, the one laid haphazardly on the coffee table and peeks open the front door. To his surprise, a familiar face is there with a worried expression.

  
“Gavin?”

“Hello meatsack, how are you?” he is speaking fast. “I was wondering if you could uh, do a little something for me?”

Swinging the door fully open Connor says, “Where is Nines?”

“Who?”

“Richard,” he amends. Seems like Gavin doesn't know all the secrets yet. Or maybe he’s just laying dumb, it doesn’t matter.

“Uh, he’s not here.”

Connor’s eyes flicker over the android with an unimpressed sort of way. It is not an unkind look he shoots the visitor but a warning. A second later he says, “Hank alert my brother that his partner is here.”

“What? No, no, no--”

“Done,” Hank calls from inside.

Gavin falters greatly. “Hey, come on,” He pleads. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Connor shrugs like it’s a sufficient apology. “Sorry, I’m just not used to seeing you here. Something must have happened if you’re at my house and I’m just making sure all is alright back with Richard. What exactly are you doing here,” he questions as if he doesn’t know. He has an inkling of an idea but it’s not enough to draw a concise conclusion so he waits.

Taking an unnecessary breath he says, “How much do you know?”

“About?” Connor raises an eyebrow.

“This whole, thing,” he gestures wildly.

“Come in, you might need to sit down,” he says gingerly with a broken but soft smile.

He does as he’s asked and walks through the doorframe. He notices the large dog that Hank is currently giving a belly rub to and points.

“New addition. Hank named him Sumo.”

“Ah,” he sits on the loveseat nearest the door and opposite to the Sofa. Connor sees the positioning of the room, no doubt purposely done and sits across from him.

They stare at each other for a few moments, unsure how to proceed. Well, Gavin is unsure and Connor is simply looking at him without much interest. Like he’s bored like this is a mere chore he has to do. It’s different than the warm but firm atmosphere his words carried moments ago. This is more like his brother, the way he shakes his eyes up and down Gavin's body.

“Are you trying to psych me out?” The android's voice is quieter than he wants.

As if his very personality snaps Connor goes back to a crooked, goofy smile. “No, I’m sorry about that. I was just wondering how to best explain this all to you.” Liar. “I know a lot Gavin, In fact, I know all. But what do you know?”

“D-did you know he was a-- that he--”

“That he’s a murderer? Of course, of course,” Connor nods his head slightly. “But that isn’t your issue, is it? That he kills? After all, you were so content before you found out, what does this small detail have to do with the overall scheme of your relationship.”

Gavin gapes, “Are you trying to give me relationship advice?”

“Yes, what else would you be here for?”

He abruptly stands up, “Fuck this,” He makes a break for the door, it’s only a few steps away and he is so sure he can make it before the human grabs him. His hand is on the handle when he hears, “Lockdown.”

And then the handle won't budge. It’s locked in place no matter how hard he tugs and turns and twist and pulls. The windows have gone pitch black like ink had been poured over them. All the lights in the house have gone to a faint red, the dog, Sumo, lets out a distressed growl. Gavin feels desperation raise in him like a flood, he can’t breathe. He can’t breathe and he’s so scared. He is stuck in a house with his crazy soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend’s brother who might also be a murderer and he has no way of escape. Shit, shit shit, why does he have a knack for bullshit?

“Why isn’t this moving,” the android mutters feverishly as he yanks at the door. Hank comes behind Gavin and tries to pry him away from the door but Gavin slams his elbow into the other robots stomach. Sumo attempts to hide down the hall.

Hank rubs his stomach in shock then says, “Fuck kid calm down.”  
  
“Calm down?! Get away from me you freak.”

“Listen we just want to talk,” Hank says, “We don’t want to cause you any harm. Just calm down and sit back down.”

Gavin narrows his eyes and subconsciously presses his back up against the unmoving door. “You are insane. Both of you are insane,” he spits.

Connor, who watches them tensely, has a pistol out aimed at Gavin with his finger hovering over the trigger. He lives in a Detroit suburb with well-spaced houses, and his muffler should stunt the cry of a gunshot but he still would find it dis-pleasurable to have to fire in his own home.

“Gavin,” he starts, “I need you to sit back down so we can talk. I know this is a lot but you need to work with us here if you want the full picture.”

“I already know the full picture. This whole family is insane, every last one of you is crazy.”

“It’s not smart to call your captors crazy Gavin.”

“Shut up,” he blinks back tears that have collected on the edge of his eyes.

“Sit down.” Connor’s tone never spikes or flattens. It’s steady and soothing just as it should be. “Sit down and we can talk okay? You want to talk, right?”

“Y-yeah.”

“Great. Hank, can you go get some coffee for Gavin?”

Hank disappears into the kitchen to brew a pot. Gavin walks back over to the living room and sinks down into the cushions of the couch hoping to disappear. He can feel everything in his processors running a mile a minute and his fans working overtime as he tries to chill out.

He’s left alone. Connor doesn’t speak to him until his coffee is done. Hank hands it to him and then leaves the same way Sumo went. Gavin takes a sip and scowls. It’s too sweet. Too much sugar and cream, not enough actual bean. Sure, he doesn't have taste buds exactly but he knows how much of an ingredient is in this cup and the ratio is blown way out of proportion. He won’t complain out loud though, he’s already in danger with them he doesn’t need another reason for them to hurt him.

Quietly he nurses the mug and stares down at his feet. He wants to start asking questions and getting answers but he doesn’t know if he’s to wait for permission or not. This sucks. All of this sucks beyond belief.

“Didn’t you have questions?”

Gavin licks his lips to prep himself. “I wanted to know if it’s always been like this. That's all I don’t need to know anything else just that.”

Connor raises a brow. “Always? Nothing is forever and nothing precedes the concept of time so no it-- whatever it might be-- was not always like this.”

God, he sounds like Richard when he speaks like that. “Not what I meant damnit. I meant since I’ve been with Rich has he been doing what he’s doing?”

“Oh, yes. Yes, he has.”

“Why?”

“I thought you only had one question?” Connor has the gall to smirk with his usual playful look.

“Two. I have two,” he grits out.

“Well then--” the front door is forced open with a loud clang and the windows reel open to force the daylight into the house. In steps Richard with a small device in the palm of his hand and a look of determination. His eyes land on his brother and he lets out a low growl. Connor points to his side and Immediately his face softens when he sees Gavin.

“Gav,” he pushes the device up his sleeve as if it was never there. Gavin wonders what it was. “Hey, you can’t just run off like that.” He sounds so much sweeter than he has any right to be. “It's dangerous to just disappear on me.”

“I just,” Gavin can’t get the words out. His processors are overheating as he tries to make an excuse. “I wanted to know what was going on.” That’s not a lie.

“I told you to ask me if you had questions,” Richard says. He reaches for his android’s face and when the machine flinches but doesn’t jerk back he takes it as a good sign, It isn’t. Gavin’s simply too terrified to move.

They stand like that for a while. Richards hands cupping Gavin's face and looking directly into his eyes. Or at least he’s trying but Gavin keeps flickering from side to side of the room with his eyes.

“Why’d you come to Connor love?”

Gavin says something under his artificial breath that neither of the humans can hear.

“What?”

“I don't trust you,” he repeats just above a whisper. “I don’t think you’ll tell me with honesty what’s happening.” And then the human’s hands have dropped from his face icily quick.

Realistically that's fair. Richard Reed knows that's fair and he should be surprised when the reason comes out but he still is. He's still hurt. He wants to ask “Why?” He knows why. He hasn't told the truth since the day they met.

Gavin stares at him like he’s expecting him to burst out in anger. That stings the worst. Gavin thinks so little of him that he assumes that Richard will lash out. Three days ago he would have never known this side of his lover, he would have kept thinking Richard was an unmovable object who wasn’t easily swayed by emotion but now he knew the truth. And it was ugly.

The truth was he was just as human as all the rest. Just as unpredictable and sneaky and snide and horrible. He was just like everyone else.

“What do you want to do Gav?”

“Huh?”

“You obviously are disgusted by me,” Richard sighs, “but you can’t go to the police because not only are you an accomplice but if you were able to get a deal you’d have to take down the cities financial backbones. So what do you want to do?”

“I- I want to…” god, he doesn’t know. He’s so confused. “I want to be left alone.”

“Where will you go? You should stay with--”

  
“--Don’t tell me what I should do! Don’t tell me how to feel about this! D-don’t tell me how I should act! I don’t even know you,” he cries, “I don’t know who you are! You have no right to waltz in here and tell me how I should deal with this!”

“Excuse me? Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?” Richard straightens his spine in a sort of pompous attitude. “You clearly have forgotten who I am if you think you can just disrespect me by--”

“Shut up the both of you,” Hank calls from the back of the house. “I swear the whole neighborhood can hear you.”

Connor follows, “He’s right. Gavin, I’ll make accommodations at a local hotel, you can stay there. Richard,” he walks toward his brother and then pokes him in the chest. “If you break my security system again I’ll put a hit out on you.” Is he being serious, is this playful? Gavin doesn’t have a clue. “Okay?”

“Do I get to know where he’s staying?” Richard asks.

Connor laughs, “No. Though I’m sure if you are as creepy as he thinks you are then you can figure it out in under an hour.”

“Fuck you,”

“Fuck you too brother dearest. Now get out of my house and send me the check to fix this,” he waves around to his house, “shit.”

“Hm, fine.” He turns to leave but before he goes he says, “Don’t let him get hurt. I'll break you if you break him. I don’t need what happened to Lucy to happen to him.”

“Lucy?” Gavin knew that name. She was a younger face that hung out often around the same groups of people as the Manfreds. He’d only heard of her but she seemed too young to be involved in any of this.

“Yeah, Lucille. She’s got her face bashed in because of him,” Richard says. “I wouldn’t trust Connor if you don’t even trust me.” He closes the door and walks down the front stoop with a hidden smirk. That was a filthily low blow but he doesn’t regret saying it. He wants his twin to know he’s pissed right now and he fully plans to take it out on him.

Back in the house, Gavin looks at Connor with hollow distrust. “Is that true?”

Connor just lets out a huff of air. “Damn,” he barks, “Richard was right when he said you were a real picky person. Beggars can’t be choosers. Either trust me or no one Gavin. It’s either me or him. One of us has to keep you in line.”

“I thought you were going to keep me safe.”

“There is no safe in this city Gavin. There never has been.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos, comments, etc are all appreciated!
> 
> love ya


	6. chapter six: Markus is a kid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chapter tags: accidentally a filler chapter/ Gavin being emo/ mention of time passing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fuckin hate Mono, I thought it was gone but turns out it can take months???? for it to leave???????? like what the fuck?????

Gavin stares up at the gorgeous crown molding on the ceiling contemplating the meaning of his existence. It’s been two days since he saw Richard, a day and a half since he'd been checked into a swanky resort style hotel in the east of Detriot, and a few hours since Connor did his daily check up on him. Every morning Connor said he'd come to visit him and assure him that all was fine. So far it seemed like another way for Gavin to be kept under surveillance so he didn't attempt to do anything risky like report the crimes he's heard or even done to his precinct.

 

He’s lying on the hotel bed. It’s plush to the touch, comfortable beyond belief. And yet it feels like he’s sleeping on rocks. Everything hurts and he’d be a liar to say he didn’t know why.

 

Everything’s falling apart. He had stability in his housing, occupation, and love life. He had it all until he didn’t. He wonders what exactly lead up to all of this. From what he can tell Richard didn’t usually-- or maybe ever-- bring a target home. He apparently didn’t even often take on that many clients, he took only what he needed and left it at that. It sounded like Rich sometimes even struggled with what he did but maybe that was just what Connor wanted Gavin to think. 

 

Unfortunately, something in Rich had sparked his greed a few nights ago though and he went for one more kill and it all went to hell. 

 

Gavin, despite feeling like a ghost in his own body, still goes to work, he still makes Tina laugh, and he still holds a lot of feelings for Richard. They aren’t all positive emotions, they aren’t all negative but they're there and they’re drowning him. For a being that doesn’t need to breathe he sure as hell is all choked up. He knows that if he wants to ever feel normal again he'll have to keep up the fade that everything was fine. It's a little funny to him that a mere couple of years ago he didn't even know he could feel, he was a machine with a job to do and nothing else. But now that he had the emotional freedom he was forcing himself to pretend he couldn't feel the full extent of all that he had been put through.

 

 

This irony isn't 'haha' dunny, he thinks. No, it's more like 'fuck my life' funny and he honestly isn't too keen on it.

 

He wonders aloud to himself if he can live with keeping such a massive secret as this one. He has multiple ties and clue to a lengthy string of disappearances and murders, some of which he’s sure has plagued the DPD for years. He feels like it’s his duty to tell someone, wants to tell someone. Anyone at all, it doesn’t just have to be someone on the force. He’d go to Tina, as a friend not as an informant, but she's not available for this sort of thing and he doesn't have another person who’d be willing to put up with him.

 

Damn it.

 

At times like these, he really wishes he wasn't so hard to get along with.

 

~~~

 

Lucille finds Carl a bit nosey but overall a good man. She wants to know more about him as Markus doesn't speak about his father much and when he does it's never in excess.

 

Sometimes she thinks it is suspicious how often he talks about nothing imparticular. Like he's just distracting her from a bigger picture. But he isn't-- or at least she doesn't think so anymore as it seems like that's just Carl's personality. 

 

Carl, despite claiming he hates big parties, is very excited for Kaminski's big bash next week. It always happens on the same Friday of the same week and for one night everyone who's anyone in the city of Detroit is there. Lucy hasn't the slightest what really goes on behind the gates of Chloe's first mansion but what she does know she is that it's a pleasant mixture of business and staying relevant in the public eye but nothing else. 

 

She’s asked Markus to steal her some extra food and he just smiles and says, “Your coming with me Lucy.”

 

Her inflammation has gone down a little but the idea of walking in heels, in a constricting dress for hours causes her nausea to act up. She can’t see herself surviving a whole night of that. He must see her dismay and he reassures her, “It’s all good. You won’t have to wear anything that will hurt you, you aren’t a model after all." She thinks he might be referring to when North first was invited to the dinner. She had nearly killed herself in a corset that had been way too tight. "You’re just Lucille and Lucille doesn’t need to go over the top. You’ll get some flats, a practical dress, it will be fine.”

 

She groans.

 

“I promise you it will be fine.”

 

“What..what about the cameras?”

 

Markus honestly hadn’t thought about that potion. He knew there’d be paparazzi, there always is but still, he didn’t even think about the effect that would have on Lucy. “What about them?”

 

“Face.” is all she says.

 

“Ah,” he chuckles softly, “You haven’t need to worry about that it’s all good. I know how to avoid cameras. Besides, the media isn’t too hard to outsmart.”

 

“And what if they do see me?”

 

“Oh, they’ll see you. But at that point, your swelling should be minimal and your face will be so heavily beat with makeup--”

 

Lucy winces.

 

“Okay, bad word choice, sorry. But you’ll look as good as new, I assure you.”

 

She nods slowly as she takes in his promise. A thought comes into her mind, “Will Simon arrive with you?”

 

Markus twists his face a little shocked that she asked. “Yes, yes, he’ll be with me. Why?”

 

Lucille frowns, “You know why.”

 

“Get off my back, please! Me taking him--”

 

“It’s never just taking him as your plus one though, is it? It’s always wearing matching suits and ties, and holding each other's hands, and leaving early -- noticeably early-- from events to do god knows what. You never _ just _ take him places, you act like a couple even though your not one and you lead him on.”

 

“What of it?” Markus snaps defensively.

 

“You shouldn’t do that to him. It’s rude and inconsiderate.”

 

“Simon’s a smart man, he knows what he’s doing.”

 

“Sure he does.”

 

A few minutes of silence follow them. That’s the most she’s talked since arriving at the house four days ago and it was practically a call out for Markus. He’s tired of everyone telling him what he’s doing wrong. He knows his wrong from his right, he isn’t a child. He’s a grown man fully capable of making his own choices and controlling his actions.

 

“Are you done?”

 

“What?”

 

“Are you done berating me? Because if so I have some calls to make in preparation for our outfits for Kamski's banquet.”

 

“You know Carl's right, you act really childish,”

 

“Oh please, I love my father but he’ll take just to hear himself talk.”

 

She can’t agree with that. Sure, he’s a busy-body but he’s wiser than anyone gives him credit for. Carl Manfred is a slept on, however legitimate, genius.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos? comments? others? give me


	7. Chapter seven: invitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter tags: flashback/tina!/knife on neck action

Months Earlier 

 

Chloe Kamski just wants one day of calm, uneventful peace. She wants one day of relaxation. She wants to be living out the life of a young, hot, sexy multi-billionaire because she is one. Her first mistake though was allowing Elijah free will.

 

She wouldn't get rid of it for the world, however.

 

The android-- the original model of course-- is running around their bedroom with a frantic look of despair. He’s acting as if he’s lost something and she doesn’t care enough to ask. It’s too early for the kind of noise he’s making and she’s none too happy that that's how she wakes up on a Sunday morning. 

 

He throws down a drawer and ruffles through the contents swiftly. He is searching for something obviously small and totally obscured by the looks of it.

 

Finally, after a moment he picked something out from the shirt drawer. It is a brass and copper key that is dull in its shine. Chloe immediately perks up. 

 

“Sweetums?” She starts with an intrigued tone. “What are we planning today?” She knows that that means they're going to be doing a whole day of event planning.

 

He doesn't answer and instead pockets the key in his silk robe. He then gently pulls her off the bed-- though she complains-- and drags her out the room and down the hall. A minute later they're in front of a door that rarely ever gets opened. He puts the key into the lock and turns it with a large smile playing at his lips.

 

The door creaks open and they step inside and Elijah's already set up quite a few cork boards pinned with ideas and numbers of people who can meet his outrageous wants.

 

On the boards are pictures of pumpkins and cinnamon and golden brown leaves. There are images of turkeys with recipe notes attached. Floral arrangement ideas sit pinned to them as well looking pretty and proper and ready to come to life. Snowflake designs hang from the board as well elegantly shining as if to say 'pick me!' There's a list in the center with names circled and exed out and highlighted too. 

 

Chloe can make out some of the names and pieces the information together. “Oh, It’s that time already?”

 

He hums excitedly and darts across the massive room careful not to step on anything he might need. On the floors, there are stray scraps of wrapping paper, ribbon, and elegant glitter. It's a minefield but he manages. Elijah has a certain fondness for autumn that stems from Chloe’s excellent cooking. The holidays are coming up which means the Kamski Thanksgiving/Hanukkah/Christmas Banquet (it’s shortened to just Holiday Banquet by most considering it never happens directly on any of those holidays)  is coming up which means he gets to do his favorite thing: plan. He’s an organizer, he works mechanically as expected from an original line android but instead of rubbing off as uncanny it comes as a cute little quirk.

 

Ever since his creation, he’s planned the event. At first, it was like a normal Thanksgiving that happened just before the actual date. It would be just some non-blood family and friends-- maybe a benefactor or two but nothing huge. But as wealth increased Chloe felt a surge of need to invite more important people. It’s now less of a family get together and now a big show of wealth that she weakly hides behind as a charity event.

 

At first Elijah felt betrayed at the stark contrast of the beginning of this tradition to what it was now but slowly he came to realize it was still all what he still loved about the holiday season: it was a chance for a large group of people coming over to see all his hard work in event planning.

 

Chloe sighs as she watches her android flitter around, no doubt excited. She stopped looking forward to this years ago but so long as he's happy, she's happy.

 

~~~

 

Present

 

Tina Chen nearly falls over when she sees an Elijah model strut into the precinct. It's well into the night and she's almost ready to leave when she says goodbye to Gavin, whose hard at work in the archives sorting, when the model approaches her.

 

“Hello. Are you Officer Chen?” 

 

Tina is one of the few androids to leave in her LED. She views it as a symbol of pride and triumph over her oppressors but right now as it spins a dangerous red she wishes it would disappear. 

 

“Are you alright, Tina?” Ah. Blasted. That dumb light totally gave her awe away.

 

“Y-yes! Yes, I’m alright and Yes that is my name, uh, I don’t know you do I?”

 

“No,” he admits, “My name is Aiden, I’m one of Mr. Kamski’s personal RT600 androids at her main estate. I’ve been sent to recite a verbal invitation on Chloe’s behalf.”

 

“So, uh, why are you talking to me?”

 

“Well the invitation is for you of course, why else would I be here?” He gently chuckles and her light cycles through another heated battle between red and yellow.

 

“Oh.” 

 

“Tina Chen, model PI300, you have been invited to the Kamski estate’s annual Holiday Dinner as requested by Chloe Kamski herself. She would be most pleased if you accepted.” He says all this and then as if from thin air pulls out a glitter envelope with Tina’s full name on it in quick but still pretty cursive handwriting.

 

Hesitantly she reaches out to take it but stops short. “I’ve never talked to Mrs. Kamski before,” She says with her eyebrows furrowed. “What kind of cruel trick is--”

 

“It’s no trick and yes you’ve never met her in person but Chloe’s been watching you. Well more like she’s heard about you from a friend who heard about you from Gavin Reed.”

 

“Gavin’s not married.” She catches on to his slip up. Whether it’s intentional or not she doesn’t care; incorrect information can’t stand.

 

“No?” He still is smiling easily,  “Well he and Richard certainly act like it, hm?”

 

“S’not the same though.”

 

Aiden’s face drops just a smidge to revel annoyance. “Yes, well...whatever.” Now Tina has only had interactions with Elajah models through crime investigations and news feed but she’s pretty sure she’s never heard one say ‘whatever’ in such a dismissive tone.

 

As a Private Eye model herself-- despite being enlisted for public police work-- she is prone to dismissing things that aren’t relevant to her cases but RTs are socialite models. They’re supposed to keep pleasant conversation, though with deviancy it seems some have lost their charming edge.

 

“Is Richard that friend then?”

 

“Hm?“

 

“The friend that supposedly told Chloe Kamski, world-renowned geniuses, about me a lowly beat cop--”

 

He quips, “--heard you were a homicide detective actually.” Damn, he’s annoying.

 

“Don’t interrupt me.”

 

He shrugs as if her tone isn’t threatening which only makes her even more pissed off. “Yes, he’s the friend.”

 

“Ah.” Tina doesn’t know much about Richard Reed except for the fact that he’s kinda of creepily handsome. He’s the type of beauty that wouldn’t shock her if he ended up investigating him for like, mass murders or something of the sort. He was just such a charismatic guy with a big heart seemingly and an even bigger wallet that it was hard to fathom how he could exist without a major character flaw. Some might think murder is a little extreme but Tina has seen worse done by even better people. Humans weren't like androids in the way they handled stress, when they snapped they snapped  _ hard  _ causing great destruction to those around them while when androids snapped they simply self-destruct leading no one else in harm's way.

 

“So Ms. Kasmki, who I’ve never met much less held a conversation with, is asking me to her holiday banquet because she knew I was friends with a friend of her’s boyfriend?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Tina rolls her eyes. “I don’t believe that for a second.”

 

“What would it take for you to believe it?”

 

She thinks hard and decides, “Probably a handwritten invitation.” She then scoffs and adds, “Signed by her in fancy red fountain pen ink. Y’know the kind of calligraphy shit that only us androids can do properly and even then I still mess up.”

 

Aiden blinks at her passively, his eyes glazed over as if he’s watching a screen before speaking again. “Okay, I’ve recorded that request and you should have the invitation in your mail by tomorrow afternoon at the latest.”

 

Once again Tina rolls her eyes. This whole situation sounds like a scam and she can’t wait to tell Gavin all about it.

 

“Thank you,” he says as insincerely as possible. “I’ll be on my way now as it’s late. You should do the same.” He turns to leave and calls over his shoulder for her to have a good night.

 

As soon as he leaves she races down to the archives to find Gavin. She bumps into him on the stairs down and he stumbles backward a little bit.

 

“Fu--” He’s caught by Tina and as she holds onto his slave she stares into his eyes with a single question.

 

“Is Richard a good guy or a bad guy?”

 

It’s random to him. It’s almost even random to Tina and on the surface, she doesn’t know why she asked such a question. She hadn’t ever met Richard other than when he came to pick Gavin up sometimes and before the two had met she’d read a few articles here or there that mentioned his involvement in the cities economics but nothing more.

 

“What the hell?”

 

She pulls him off of the edge of the stair he’s currently half falling off and stands him upright. “Richard. Your boyfriend?”

 

“Yeah, I know of him obviously.”

 

“Well, I wanted to know if he’s a good guy.” Gavin furrows his brow. Does she know something? “I know I’ve only known you a short while compared to him but I just-- I think-- is he okay? Like, is he sane or whatever? I don’t know if you know but you’ve been kinda distant lately and I know we don’t really talk about romance-- especially considering my shitty love life-- but is it because of your boyfriend?”

 

“Wh-where is this coming from? Why are you asking?” Ah yes, he truly is the master of deflection.

 

Huffing she avoids his line of sight. “I was invited to the Kamski Holiday Banquet and--”

 

Gavin's jaw drops,“--I’m sorry what?” 

 

“Uhg, what is up with men an interrupting me!”

 

“Sorry.”

 

“You better be. Anyway as I was saying, I’ve been invited and according to one of Ms. Kamski’s man-servants it’s because of you.”

 

“Me?”

 

“Yes you. Apparently, you talk about me which lead to Richard talking about me to her and now I’m invited to a very exclusive event of which I had no prior knowledge you have ever attended. What's up with that?”

 

“Well, I uh, I’ve never been before...I didn’t even know I was going this year.”

 

“Your boyfriend didn’t tell you?”

 

Gavin’s mind floods with the memories of him in the museum.

 

**_“ ‘What now? Is he coming to the banquet next week or is that off limits?’_ **

 

**_‘What banquet?’_ **

 

**_‘ I didn’t tell him.’ ”_ **

 

"No?"

 

"huh, weird. Maybe it's a surprise or something?" She quirks her brows up in thought then exclaims, "I hope I didn't ruin something!"

 

Shaking his head he says, "No. No, no It's probably just that it slipped his mind. We haven't been really speaking to each other right now so--"

 

"Wait, what?" That got her attention quickly and she tightened her grip around Gavin. "What's wrong?"

 

"Nothing," he lied, "just normal couple problems."

 

"No offense but most couples aren't human + android so I don't think your problems could be considered normal. What's wrong? Did he do something? Should I kill him?"

 

That got a laugh out of him, albeit a small one. "Nah, no murder. Been there done that--" shit. why did he say that?

 

Tina laughs too though. "Oh? You've already put him in the doghouse? No need for me?"  


 

"Nope. No need. I got my shit handled."

 

Sighing she sends a soft smile his way before saying, "Alright, it's about time to go home." She walks back up the stares and Gavin follows until they've made it to the front of the precinct. She collects her bag and other smaller things like a few stay pens and says with a wave, "I'll see you later dude."

 

"Bye bitch, good night."

 

"Fuck you," are her last words before she disappears out the front door.

 

Gavin, almost as soon as she's out of the building, sends a text to Connor.

 

{  **Gavin**  } When do I get a suit for this special banquet??? Because if tina's going then i sure as hell am too

 

~~~

 

Connor's phone buzzes at an inopportune time. He's got a knife to his throat and a glimmer in his eye that says he's ready to get sliced open again when the alert goes off. He doesn't ask how he got into this situation because he knows damn well why he's pinned down on his couch with his life hanging in the balance of a few fluid strokes. It's because he's an idiot, a goofy, kind-hearted idiot but an idiot nonetheless. An idiot who, if he was any good at what he does, wouldn't let himself get in situations like this but he's a got a need to fill. A need for a thrill in his life and this sort of lifestyle certainly provide it for him. Hank calls him self-destructive but he calls him _human_.

 

Markus, the one holding the knife, eases the pressure off his throat and asks if it's important. With a non-committal shrug, Connor reaches in his back pocket, regardless if he has permission or not, for his phone. A smile spread across his face when he reads the message Gavin has sent.

 

"How about instead of threatening to kill me-- which we both know you won't actually do considering you're Josh's bitch-- I take you suit shopping? You can even bring Lucy along, we will have a nice, friendly outting and all your tension will be gone."

 

Markus just looks at him.

 

"You need something new for Chloe's thing right? Well so do I. How about this weekend?"

 

A blink, Then a grunt. "Connor one of these days I'm going to murder you for real," he says as he gets off the other man.

 

"So is that a yes?" Connor rubs where the knife had been pressed into his skin. A divet can be felt and for a moment he wonders how he'll explain this to Hank until he realizes it won't matter because worse has happened to him.

 

"Sunday, three o'clock," Markus says. "Meet me at Eden Club. And for the record, I'm not Josh's bitch."

 

"Right," he ammends, "right. I forgot that you were Simon's. Hard to keep up sometimes."

 

Markus doesn't dignify the retort with a response and instead makes his way out of the house.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eden club is now a suit and dress shop. I don't make the rules.

**Author's Note:**

> comments, kudos, love, whatever ur willing to give i'll take.


End file.
